LONDON (Reuters) - The actor who played Grange Hill's "Mr Bronson", one of Britain's best-known if not best-loved fictional teachers, has died aged 65, according to his agent.

Michael Sheard played the character of deputy head Maurice Bronson during the late 1980s when he tried to rule with a rod of iron and his trade-mark exclamations of "you boy!" boomed through the corridors of the BBC's fictional East London comprehensive school.

Sheard died surrounded by his wife and three children. He had been suffering from cancer for some time and despite undergoing stomach surgery doctors were unable to save him.

Although Sheard, the son of a Scottish church minister, was most famous playing toupee-wearing Bronson, the RADA-trained actor also had a number of other high profile film and TV roles.

He was Admiral Ozzel in "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" and played Adolf Hitler in "Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade". He also had a number of roles in different series of "Dr. Who".

He also had parts in sitcoms Allo Allo, Minder and All Creatures Great And Small.

Sheard worked with many of the greatest actors in the world during his appearances in over 40 feature films and his performances alongside Laurence Olivier, David Niven, Roger Moore, Sean Connery and Harrison Ford will be remembered by his many fans.